SOC254 - Debating Blackness

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Academic Year 2002/2003

Debating Blackness
SOC 254 SP

Crosslistings:
AFAM 254

Who is black? What is blackness? What is black culture? The answers to these questions depend on whom you ask. In this course, we will address various controversies around the meaning of blackness by reviewing long-standing scholarly debates in the study of African Americans and by forcing different perspectives to engage each other. We will use these debates to develop an understanding of the concept of race and of racial relations.

MAJOR READINGS

F. James Davis, WHO IS BLACK? ONE NATION'S DEFINITION
William E. Cross, Jr., SHADES OF BLACK: DIVERSITY IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN IDENTITY
Kerry Ann Rockquemore and David L. Brunsma, BEYOND BLACK: BIRACIAL IDENTITY IN AMERICA
Other books and articles to be announced.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Four papers, class participation.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Preference given to Sociology and African American Studies majors.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

The instructor of this course will not be using the on-line wait list. If you are interested in this course, please contact the instructor directly.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS SOC Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: SOC151

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Austin,Algernon

Times: .M.W... 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: SCIE141

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 25)

SR. major: 8 Jr. major: 8

SR. non-major: 3 Jr. non-major: 3 SO: 3 FR:

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Writing

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-18-2003